Card vending machine

ABSTRACT

A card vending machine includes a machine base, a motor, a gear unit, a transmission roller and a pair of output rollers. The machine base includes a card storage trough and a middle partition. The output rollers include upper and lower rollers. The motor drives the gear unit to turn the transmission roller and the output rollers, so that the cards in a card storage recess are outputted one by one.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a card vending machine, and more particularly, to a card vending machine which includes a gear unit, a transmission roller and output rollers to automatically send cards one by one.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Card vending machines are used to sell telephone cards, star cards, ball player cards, game cards, and the like. The cards have different thicknesses, such as 0.85 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.4 mm or 0.25 mm. A conventional card vending machine comprises a complicated gear transmission mechanism and a transmission belt to send the cards out. After a period of time, the transmission belt will become elastic fatigue.

Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. 237972 titled “automatic card delivery mechanism” and Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. 233837 titled “automatic card output device” use a transmission belt to deliver cards. However, after a period of time, the transmission belt will become elastic fatigue. The cards cannot be outputted smoothly. Sometimes, the cards may be jammed. The conventional card vending machine also comprises a complicated gear transmission mechanism, so the entire assembly is complicated and the cost is high.

Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a card vending machine which comprises a machine base, a motor, a gear unit, a transmission roller and a pair of output rollers. The machine base includes a card storage trough and a middle partition. The output rollers include upper and lower rollers. The motor drives the gear unit to turn the transmission roller and the output rollers, so that the cards in a card storage recess are outputted one by one. The card vending machine of the present invention can output the cards exactly and smoothly. The entire configuration of the present invention is compact and the parts can be assembled easily to lower the cost.

Preferably, the machine base further comprises a movable arm and a first sensor located under the card storage recess. The card storage recess is formed by two side boards and a wall board. The wall board is pivotally connected to the two side boards. When it is necessary to maintain the machine or to supply the cards, the wall board can be opened with ease to simplify the operation. The wall board won't be damaged or lose because of regular maintenance.

Preferably, the machine base further comprises a second sensor at a middle section of the middle partition. When the card is outputted at the beginning of the output route to pass the second sensor, the second sensor will send a signal to stop the running of the motor and the motor will be in a standby state. When the motor receives a signal to output the card, the motor will drive to output the card. After outputting the card, the motor will be in a standby state again.

Preferably, the machine base further comprises a third sensor corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card. When the card passes the terminal of the outputting route and the card is pushed out a certain distance by the output rollers, the card will cover the third sensor to stop the running of the motor to complete the output of the card.

Preferably, the machine base further comprises a stop plate corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card. The stop plate is adapted to hold the card to be outputted. A height difference is formed between the holding position of the card and the card outlet, so that the card is slightly curved to stay at the outlet for the user to pull it out and won't fall on the ground.

Preferably, the machine base further comprises a height limit plate at a side wall of the card storage recess. The height limit plate is adapted to adjust a gap between the height limit plate and the middle partition for different cards to be outputted. The height limit plate can be slightly adjusted as desired for the best gap to output the cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention in a standby state;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention when the card is outputting;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention after the card is outputted; and

FIG. 7 shows the wall board of the present invention is opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the card vending machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a machine base 1, a motor 2, a gear unit 3, a transmission roller 4 and a pair of output rollers 51, 52.

The machine base 1 comprises a card storage trough 11 and a middle partition 12. The middle partition 2 is connected with two side boards 13, 14 and a wall board 15 to form the card storage recess 11 at the upper section of the machine base 1. The motor 2, the gear unit 3, the transmission roller 4 and the output roller 51 are received in the lower section of the machine base 1. The machine base 1 has an output end coupled with a card output panel 16. The two side boards 13, 14 are respectively connected with an outer cover 17. The gear unit 3 is accommodated between the side board 13 and the outer cover 17.

The motor 2 is disposed in the machine base 1 and cooperates with a control board 18 to control driving and stopping of the motor 2. The motor 2 comprises a driving axle 21 which is connected with a main gear 31 of the gear unit 3 to drive the main gear 31 to turn clockwise.

The gear unit 3 comprises the main gear 31, a first driven gear 31 and a second driven gear 33 at two sides of the main gear 31. The main gear 31 meshes with the first driven gear 32 and the second driven gear 33, respectively. The main gear 31 is composed of two gear wheels in different diameters to mesh with the first driven gear 32 and the second driven gear 33, respectively. The main gear 31 is driven by the motor 2 to turn clockwise and to synchronously bring the first driven gear 32 and the second driven gear 33 to turn counterclockwise.

The transmission roller 4 is disposed under the middle partition 12 of the machine base 1 and in contact with the lowermost card 6 at the bottom of the card storage recess 11. The first driven gear 32 of the gear unit 3 controls turning of the transmission roller 4. When turned, the lowermost card 6 is pushed forward by the transmission roller 4.

The output rollers 51, 52 are respectively disposed above the middle partition 12 and under the middle partition 12 to clamp the card 6 which is moved toward the output end of the machine base 1. The second driven gear 33 of the gear unit 3 controls turning of the lower output roller 51. The upper output roller 52 is free to turn.

The card vending machine of the present invention uses the motor 2 to drive the gear unit 3 and to turn the transmission roller 4 and the output roller 51, 52 synchronously, so that the cards 6 in the card storage recess 11 are pushed out one by one. The card vending machine of the present invention can output the cards exactly and smoothly. The entire configuration of the present invention is compact and the parts can be assembled easily to lower the cost.

The machine base 1 further comprises a movable arm 111 and a first sensor 112 located under the card storage recess 11 to detect the cards 6 whether the cards 6 reaches to a predetermined minimum or runs out. For example, when the movable arm 111 is lifted, not covering the first sensor 112 as shown in FIG. 4, the first sensor 112 will send a signal to inform the user the cards are not enough. Because the cards 6 are light, a heavy press board 7 is provided on the pile of cards 6 to press the cards 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, the machine base 1 further comprises a second sensor 121 at a middle section of the middle partition 12. When the card 6 is outputted at the beginning of the output route to pass the second sensor 121, the second sensor 121 will send a signal to stop the running of the motor 2 and the motor will be in a standby state. When the motor 2 receives a signal to output the card, the motor 2 will drive to output the card. After outputting the card, the motor 2 will be in a standby state again.

The machine base 1 further comprises a third sensor 161 at an inner side of the output panel 16 corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card 6. When the card 6 passes the terminal of the outputting route and the card 6 is pushed out a certain distance by the output rollers 51, 52, the card 6 will cover the third sensor 161 as shown in FIG. 5 to stop the running of the motor 2 to complete the output of the card.

The machine base 1 further comprises a stop plate 162 at the inner side of the output panel 16 corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card 6. The stop plate 162 is resilient and has a curved shape for holding the card 6 to be outputted. As shown in FIG. 6, a height difference H is formed between the holding position of the card and the card outlet, so that the card 6 is slightly curved to stay at the outlet for the user to pull it out and won't fall on the ground.

The card storage recess 11 is formed by the two side boards 13, 14 and the wall board 15. The two side boards 13, 14 have engaging notches 131, 141 and slots 132, 142 at upper and lower ends of an edge thereof. The wall board 15 comprises two lock bolts 151 and a transverse rod 152 corresponding in position to the engaging notches 131, 141 and the slots 132, 142. The transverse rod 152 is pivotally connected between the slots 132, 142. The two lock bolts 151 are connected to the two side boards 13, 14, so that the wall board 15 is pivotally connected to the two side boards 13, 14. When it is necessary to maintain the machine or to supply the cards, the two lock bolts 151 are unlocked manually to open the wall board 15 as shown in FIG. 7, without using other tools to simplify the operation. The wall board 15 won't be damaged or lose because of regular maintenance.

The machine base 1 further comprises a height limit plate 113 at a side wall of the card storage recess 11. The height limit plate 113 is adapted to adjust a gap A between the height limit plate 113 and the middle partition 12 for the card to be outputted. The height limit plate 113 is connected to a fixing plate 115 through an adjustment bolt 114. By turning the adjustment bolt 114, the height limit plate 113 can be slightly adjusted to ascend or descend so as to control the gap A between the height limit plate 1113 and the middle partition 12 for the cards in different thicknesses, such as 0.85 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.4 mm or 0.25 mm. The height limit plate 113 can be slightly adjusted as desired for the best gap A to output the cards.

In order to prevent the card 6 from retracting, the machine base 1 of the present invention further comprises a movable stop plate 19 therein. The movable stop plate 19 will automatically stop the card 6 from retracting when the card passes 6 the movable stop plate 19.

The middle partition 12 of the machine base 1 comprises the movable arm 11 at a distal section thereof and openings 122, 123 respectively formed at the middle section and the front section thereof. The openings 122, 123 correspond in position to the transmission roller 4 and the output roller 51, facilitating transmission and output of the card 6.

Besides the outer cover 17, the machine base 1 is further coupled with an outer casing to constitute a complete card vending machine. The outer casing is the prior art and won't be described hereinafter.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A card vending machine comprising a machine base, a motor, a gear unit, a transmission roller and a pair of output rollers, and characterized by: the machine base comprising a card storage trough and a middle partition; the motor disposed in the machine base and connected with a main gear of the gear unit, the motor cooperating with a control board to control driving and stopping of the motor; the gear unit comprising the main gear, a first driven gear and a second driven gear at two sides of the main gear, the main gear respectively meshing with the first driven gear and the second driven gear, the main gear synchronously bringing the first driven gear and the second driven gear to turn; the transmission roller disposed under the middle partition of the machine base and in contact with a lowermost card 6 in the card storage recess, the first driven gear of the gear unit controlling turning of the transmission roller to push the lowermost card to move forward; the pair of output rollers being respectively disposed above the middle partition and under the middle partition to clamp the card to be moved toward an output end of the machine base, the second driven gear of the gear unit controlling turning of the lower output roller, the upper output roller being free to turn; thereby, the motor driving the gear unit to bring the transmission roller and the output rollers to turn synchronously, so that cards in the card storage recess being pushed out one by one.
 2. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the middle partition is connected with two side boards and a wall board to form the machine base, the card storage recess being disposed at an upper section of the machine base, the motor, the gear unit, the transmission roller and one of the output rollers being received in a lower section of the machine base, the output end of the machine base being coupled with a card output panel, the two side boards being respectively connected with an outer cover.
 3. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main gear is composed of two gear wheels in different diameters to mesh with the first driven gear and the second driven gear, respectively.
 4. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine base further comprises a second sensor at a middle section of the middle partition, when the card passes the second sensor, the second sensor sends a signal to stop the running of the motor.
 5. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine base further comprises a third sensor corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card, when the card passes the second sensor terminal, the motor stops running.
 6. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine base further comprises a stop plate corresponding in position to the terminal of the outputting route of the card, the stop plate holding the card to be outputted, a height difference being formed between the holding position of the card and a card outlet.
 7. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine base further comprises a height limit plate at a side wall of the card storage recess, the height limit plate being adapted to adjust a gap between the height limit plate and the middle partition for the card to be outputted, the height limit plate being connected to a fixing plate through an adjustment bolt, by turning the adjustment bolt, the height limit plate being slightly adjusted to ascend or descend so as to control the gap between the height limit plate and the middle partition.
 8. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine base further comprises a movable stop plate therein, the movable stop plate automatically stopping the card from retracting when the card passes the movable stop plate.
 9. The card vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the card storage recess is formed by two side boards and a wall board, the two side boards having engaging notches and slots at upper and lower ends of an edge thereof, the wall board comprising two lock bolts and a transverse rod corresponding in position to the engaging notches and the slots, the transverse rod being pivotally connected between the slots, the two lock bolts being connected to the two side boards so that the wall board is pivotally connected to the two side boards. 